Accra, July 29, GNA - Electoral Commission (EC) on Thursday

announced that it would start nation-wide distribution of ballot papers for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Congress to elect its presidential candidate on August 03.

The congress is scheduled for Saturday, August 07.

Mr Albert Kofi Arhin, EC Director of Elections, told the GNA in an interview that printing of ballot papers started on July 29 and would be completed on Monday August 2 for distribution to begin.

He said representatives of the five aspirants were accredited to witness the printing and regional distribution of the ballot papers and appealed to party executives to inform their regional and district executives to monitor the exercise.

Mr Arhin said party officials would be allowed to monitor movement of the ballot papers from the publishing house to the EC warehouses and other distribution points but the cost involved should be borne by the party.

The cost of printing the ballot papers and notice of poll was GH¢18,285 to be paid by the NPP.

The GNA met eight representatives of four out of the five candidates at the EC headquarters going through briefing on their role that include printing, checking, arrangement and packaging at the Ghana Publishing Corporation, the authorised printing house for ballot papers.

The representatives are Mr Kwabena Frimpong Boateng Jr for Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, Mr Sam Ellis for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Mr Dennis Okyere Danso, Mr Kwadwo Yeboah, and Mr Richard Asante Yeboah for Mr Alan Kyeremanteng and Mr Emmanuel Okai, Mr Julian Cobbinah and Francis Abeiku for Mr Isaac Osei.

During GNA's visit, there was no representative of Mr John Kwame Kodua.

Mr Arhin said the order on the ballot paper would be according to an earlier balloting conducted by the party.

The aspirants are Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Mr Isaac Osei, Mr John Kwame Kodua, Mr Alan Kyerematen, and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The ballot paper would have their names and photographs.

On the rights and responsibilities of delegates on voting day, Mr Arhin said the rules governing national elections would be applied.

A person commits an offence of bribery if he/she gives or receives, or causes to be given or receive, money, a gift, a loan or something of value as a means of inducing a person to vote or not to vote in a certain way.

A person commits the offence of multiple voting if he/she votes or attempts to vote more than once at the same election, a person commits the offence of undue influence if he/she personally or through an agent uses or threatens to use force, violence or restraint against a person, inflicts or threatens to inflict temporal or spiritual injury, damage, harm or loss to a person

Mr Arhin reminded the delegates that all election offences were punishable and offenders would be liable on conviction to a fine, imprisonment or both.